Releasable connectors are used in a great many situations, both domestically and in the aerospace field, where it is necessary or advisable to be able to quickly couple and decouple the connector. However, it is equally desirable that when such connectors are mated or coupled they remain in that condition until affirmatively disconnected or unmated, and not be loosened or inadvertently unmated completely as a result of vibrational or shock forces to which they may be subjected.
One prior art approach to preventing inadvertent decoupling has been to provide interlocking splines on one of the connector parts and a coupling sleeve or coupling ring which surrounds the connector part. Other approaches which are closer in concept to that disclosed herein include spring members which contact with the connector parts, hindering decoupling. Examples of these are U.S. Pat. No. 2,784,385 and 3,784,966, the latter using a spring element which engages one of several recesses.
All known prior systems, including those referenced immediately above, have not been completely satisfactory in that they are either difficult and expensive to make, readily subject to failure during operation, or for other reasons found to be unreliable.